Water Under the Bridge
by Laree England
Summary: David is being too uptight, so Jack desides to use an old Newsies tradition to loosen him up. Jack and David friendship, my first Newsies fanfic, please R&R!


**A/N: This is my first Newsies fanfiction, and I've only seen the movie one and a half times, so I'm sorry if anybody isn't entirely in character or I just completely screw this up. Also, I can't write Jack's accent very well yet, so I apologize for that too. Any constructive criticism would be awesome, like maybe a crash-course in writing in Jack-ish, since I'm so new to this fandom. And I also realize I'm a bit late coming to the races, but the Broadway Newsies just came out, so I figured that maybe there's still some fans left on here. Without further ado, here it is!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies**

David Jacobs stuck his hands in his pockets, walking quickly as he tried to keep up with his best friend. Jack Kelley had a long stride and never hesitated to use it, resulting in David being more fit than he had been in a long while simply from trying to keep up with the guy. They had been walking for quite some time now, and David was developing a painful stitch in his side. The road they were taking seemed very familiar, but David couldn't quite put his finger on it. It had been a year since the strike. Were they going somewhere that they had been during that time?

David sighed. His father had made him keep his word about going back to school, and he had an essay due tomorrow. Jack knew this, so David couldn't figure out why he had insisted on going on this road trip after they had sold all their papes.

Speeding up a little, David fell into stride next to Jack, messaging his side. "You know, I've got that essay due tomorrow…"

"Loosen your breeches, Davey." Jack said, playfully punching David in the arm, "We're just goin' on a lil' adventure."

"Well, I've still got to finish it-"

"Ya know what your problem is? You're too uptight. This'll be perfect for ya."

"But I-"

"Davey," Jack cut in, stopping and putting both of his hands on David's shoulders. "Would I ever make ya do somethin' that wasn't worth your time?"

David just raised his eyebrows at him.

"Don't answer that," Jack said, waving a hand at him. "You'll be happy ya came. Trust me."

David raised his eyebrows higher.

"_Trust_ me."

Jack slung an arm around David's shoulders, and David sighed, complying with the embrace.

"How much longer-"

"We're already here."

Jack pointed a little further ahead of him with his free hand, and David followed it, a big red bridge coming into view. David stopped, causing Jack to stumble.

"You brought me to Brooklyn?"

"The Brooklyn Bridge," Jack said, jerking his head toward it. "Come on."

"Why?" David asked, sliding away from under Jack's arm.

"Does there always have to be a reason with ya?" Jack answered. "It's Newsie tradition to yell over the side. It's a good stress reliever."

David rolled his eyes. "You know what else is a good stress reliever?"

"What?"

"Actually getting my essay done."

"Come _on_, Davey!" Jack whined. "The last time we was here, me and Boots yelled over, but ya didn't. It's your turn."

"This is nonsense," David shook his head, turning around and walking away.

Jack put his hands on his hips. He didn't know why he put up with the kid. He was constantly too up-tight and cautious, never doing anything before thinking it through first. David worried too much. Jack swore that the kid was getting grey hairs already. Maybe that was why Jack kept him around, though. Without David, Jack would surely do a whole lot of idiotic stuff that would get him thrown right back into the refuge. But this, this was just stupid.

"I didn't bring you all the way here for nothin'," Jack muttered more to himself than to David, and then ran to catch up with him.

David felt his feet leave the ground, and before he knew it he was staring down at the street. Jack had slung him over his shoulder and was carrying him back to the Bridge.

"What the-? Jack!"

Jack kept walking, and David banged against Jack's back with every step he took. Jack's shoulder dug painfully into the stitch in David's side.

"Jack!"

"How's the weather up there, Davey?" Jack sniggered, jostling him a little.

David let out a little grunt and pounded on Jack's back. "Put me down!"

Jack laughed as he felt David's fists rain down on his shoulders. David was trying to make a point, but Jack knew that he would never try to actually hurt him. He was too nice and loved him too much. "Not a chance."

"_Jack_!"

Jack stepped onto the sidewalk of the bridge, moving a fair distance down it before finally putting David down. David's face was red from going topsy-turvy, and he held onto his stomach. He flashed Jack a deadly glare.

Jack held up his hands in surrender, "It had to be done."

"So if I yell over the side, will you be happy and let me go home?"

"Well have a betta attitude than that," Jack said.

David just glared at him.

Jack grabbed onto his arms and shook him. "Lighten up, David!"

"You're not helping."

"Well if ya'd stop bein' so grumpy about it-"

"I'm not grumpy-"

"Yeah, ya are."

"No, I'm not!"

The two Newsies stared at each other, their faces set as stone.

David's hands clenched into fists at his sides. Jack could be so _infuriating_ sometimes. He didn't know why he put up with the kid. He never thought things through, the leap before looking kind of guy. David swore he was getting grey hairs because of him. Maybe that's why he stayed around him, though. Without Jack, David would probably always stay home, never doing anything worthwhile with his life. Jack made him loosen up. Besides, David had to keep an eye out for Jack, or else he'd probably dance his way right back into the refuge.

It was in that moment that they both realized that they needed each other. They were the night to the other's day, the calm before the other's storm. One couldn't exist without the other, and least not healthfully. They could read each other like a book and kept each other out of trouble. They protected one another, and balanced each other out.

Their expressions softened with this epiphany. Jack was the first to smile, David the first to laugh. Jack grabbed David and pulled him into a hug, tucking his head into David's neck. This was another thing David loved about Jack. However indifferent and aloof Jack acted, when it came down to it, he cared about David, and when the correct time presented itself, he was never afraid to show it.

David pulled back and motioned towards the edge of the building. They smiled at each other and braced themselves on the railing, leaning over and yelling into the night, letting their souls become one in a single note of harmony, and setting that soul free up into the stars.

**Good? Bad? Let me know, please!**


End file.
